Utah Transit Authority Launches E-Learning Program
April 23, 2009
Salt Lake City – The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is proud to announce the launch of the Siemens SD-160 Light Rail Vehicle computer based training (CBT) program. The blended training program was developed to teach preventive maintenance of all 12 major systems, including the coupler, trucks and axles, current collection, auxiliary inverter, friction brakes, doors, HVAC, propulsion, communications and monitoring systems, diagnostics and car body. Each system module covers a general system overview, maintenance tasks and on the job training (OJT) tasks.
“This training program is a welcome asset to our training program at UTA,” says Randy Welsh, UTA’s Maintenance Training Administrator. “To provide training in a self-paced modular online format allows our trainees to benefit by learning at their own pace and in their own learning style.”
Development of the SD-160 computer base training was done by Xpan Interactive, a Calgary-based company specializing in the development of advanced, media-rich online learning. Xpan is North America’s leader in the development of e-learning for the public transportation industry.
Subject matter expertise was provided by the Light Rail Vehicle Maintenance (LRVM) department at UTA. A new computer lab has been established to host the learning environment. The web based training program uses voice-assisted animation, video, text and photos to transfer knowledge to the learner. It is hosted on Xpan’s Learning Management System, which measures all aspects of the training process and is also integrated with UTA’s training database.
The development of the SD-160 CBT was overseen by the Intermountain Transit Career Ladder Partnership (Partnership) that was able to receive funding through the Utah Department of Workforce Service Incumbent Worker Training program. The Partnership is a collaborative effort of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 382, International Amalgamated Transit Union, Transportation Learning Center, Utah Urban Rural Specialized Transporation Administration, and UTA.
It is due to the hard work and dedication of the Amalgamated Transit Union and Utah Transit Authority personnel that this project was accomplished to assistance those employees that are responsible for preventive maintenance on the light rail cars.